Assistant Lin had just finished speaking when Bao Shaojin softly spoke up.
Assistant Lin’s heart tightened. Mr. Bao’s tone seemed calm, yet there was a hint of admonishment.
Assistant Lin went over to An Yin and began setting the table.
An Yin’s gaze moved between the two of them, finally speaking hesitantly, "Maybe I should eat in the dining room." Eating in front of Bao Shaojin made her a bit nervous.
Bao Shaojin’s words silenced her thoughts.
Assistant Lin acted as if he didn’t hear her, setting the dishes before speaking, "Miss An, you may dine now."
"Thank you." An Yin stared at the table in front of her.
Oyster sauce chicken feet, ginger scallion crab, stir-fried beef noodles, roast goose, poached chicken.
The portions were small, but each dish was crafted to perfection, and even the presentation was meticulous.
Afterwards, Assistant Lin glanced at the person on the hospital bed and, seeing the gloomy expression, tactfully exited the room.
She was obviously hungry, yet she just stared at the dishes. Bao Shaojin then remembered the little girl liked spicy food, "Don’t like it?" These dishes weren’t spicy, so it was normal for the little girl who liked strong flavors not to like them.
"I like it." An Yin swallowed a gulp of water.
"Why aren’t you eating?"
When he spoke, his brow arched, giving off an air of intimidation without anger.
Can’t you stop staring at me? An Yin shouted in her heart. She certainly wouldn’t dare say these words in front of the man.
After speaking, she picked up a chicken foot with her chopsticks, but as she moved it to her mouth, the chopsticks slipped, and the chicken foot fell onto her clothes before dropping to the ground.
An Yin’s face flushed red, she hastily put down the chopsticks, and upon seeing the napkins on the table, tried to wipe the stain clean.
"Aunt Zhang." Bao Shaojin called in the direction of the inner room.
An Yin, who was wiping the stain on her down jacket, paused and looked at him blankly upon hearing him call.
When Aunt Zhang arrived, An Yin perked up her ears to eavesdrop on what the man was saying.
"Take off the jacket and let Aunt Zhang send it for dry cleaning," Bao Shaojin commanded.
An Yin looked surprised, "No, no need." Afraid the man might insist, she waved her hand repeatedly in refusal.
"Once the grease sets, it’s hard to clean," Bao Shaojin reminded.
The man’s words left An Yin conflicted.
The down jacket she was wearing had been bought by Ms. An, who took her shopping specifically for it. It was quite expensive, so An Yin cherished it very much.
"Will sending it for dry cleaning be very expensive?" An Yin slightly raised her head, looking at the man.
Bao Shaojin’s cold eyes swept over her.
When they were together, the little girl constantly fretted over money matters.
"Miss An, it doesn’t cost anything," Aunt Zhang quickly replied when she saw Mr. Bao’s stern face.
"That dry cleaner is run by Mr. Bao’s friend," Aunt Zhang looked evasive.
An Yin’s expression darkened slightly, "Aunt Zhang, could you inquire about the cost when you take it for dry cleaning? I don’t like owing people favors."
The sincerity of the little girl was not lost on Aunt Zhang, and her expression softened, "Alright." For origınal chapters go to 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⁂𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⁂𝙣𝙚𝙩
An Yin stood up, fingers pinching the zipper, and upon seeing the man’s figure in her peripheral vision, blushed and stepped towards the bathroom.
Once she left, the room was cloaked in silence.
"If it can’t be cleaned, have someone buy an identical one and deliver it," the man said tiredly.
"Understood." After agreeing, Aunt Zhang opened her mouth to say something but swallowed her words upon seeing the man’s aristocratic and aloof profile.
Her visit to the hospital was arranged by the old lady, whose intentions were clear.
The old lady hoped to convince Mr. Bao to sever ties with Miss An through her intervention.
Aunt Zhang sighed deeply, knowing that Mr. Bao had been decisive since childhood and would unlikely heed others’ opinions.
"Aunt Zhang, I’ll handle the situation with Grandmother. You don’t need to worry." Bao Shaojin’s eyes narrowed slightly, emitting a faint glimmer of determination.
"Sir, the old lady is acting for your own good. Please don’t butt heads with her." Aunt Zhang advised earnestly.
Just then, both of them sensed An Yin returning gracefully.
The little girl was only wearing a white high-necked knitted sweater, tightly fitting to accentuate her graceful figure.
She usually liked to wear loose sportswear, appearing slim but unlike now, with the front adorably rounded, stirring limitless imaginations.
Aunt Zhang was shocked to see Mr. Bao’s deep, ink-black eyes linger on the little girl, yet she was also relieved. Previously focused solely on his work without any thoughts of women, he finally, naturally harbored a bit of admiration for a little girl.
Aunt Zhang approached An Yin.
"Miss An, let me take care of it."
"Thank you, Aunt Zhang."
The down jacket was folded neatly by An Yin and handed over to Aunt Zhang, who headed out the door.
After taking off her jacket, An Yin shyly stepped forward, noticing the fallen chicken foot. She wrapped it in paper and tossed it into the trash can.
Sitting back down to continue eating, she picked up the chopsticks and instinctively glanced at the man.
His face was stern and handsome, with eyebrows like swords extending into his temples. His dark pupils gleamed with a dreamy luster, while an ambiguous aura lingered between his brows.
The man’s firm face was as deep and cold as an icy pond.
An Yin stared blankly for a moment, looked down at her knitted sweater, and shook her head, "There’s heating in the room."
After that, Bao Shaojin remained silent.
While the little girl ate, the man’s gaze always inadvertently fell upon her, especially her full figure.
The hospital room was spacious, yet he felt somewhat suffocated.
Just then, a nurse entered, glanced at the nearly empty infusion bag, and spoke kindly, "Mr. Bao, it’s time for a change of medicine."
Approaching him, the nurse felt a strong sense of pressure.
She swiftly changed the medication and left the room as if fleeing.
An Yin was chewing the chicken feet, engrossed in her meal, barely glancing sideways when the man had his medicine changed, resuming her eating.
Every dish in the bowl suited her tastes perfectly.
The flavors preserved the freshness of each dish, making every bite linger long after.
Though An Yin usually preferred spicy food, she seldom had Cantonese cuisine. After this meal, she might just fall in love with it.
The little girl savored her food heartily, even filling the room with the aroma of the dishes.
For Bao Shaojin, who had been on a liquid diet for days, it was undeniably a temptation.
Yet the little girl, unfazed and carefree, seemed oblivious to the man’s darkening countenance.
After finishing the last mouthful, An Yin’s cheeks puffed up instantly.
Feeling full and satisfied, An Yin sat upright, instinctively reaching out a hand to pat her slightly rounded little belly, looking adorably naive.